Public lives and private communities: The terms of service agreement and life in virtual worlds
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v14i12.2601Keywords:
TOS, EULA, privacy, intellectual property, virtual worldsAbstract
This paper argues that the terms of service (TOS) agreements, also sometimes referred to as end user license agreements (EULAs), governing virtual worlds have important implications for the political and legal structures under which our virtual selves will function. This essay will focus on four key political concepts central to all TOS agreements studied. These concepts include contract language governing speech codes, intellectual property rights, privacy, and the relationship of the gaming world to the real world. If indeed these agreements offer governing constraints for people functioning in virtual spaces, then not only should their anti–democratic construction be considered, but as people spend more time in virtual worlds, these structures will become increasingly important to many aspects of our virtual identities.Downloads
Published
2009-12-06
How to Cite
Halbert, D. J. (2009). Public lives and private communities: The terms of service agreement and life in virtual worlds. First Monday, 14(12). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v14i12.2601
Issue
Section
Articles
License
Authors retain copyright to their work published in First Monday. Please see the footer of each article for details.